Dismissed Alternatives

RTD was required to rigorously explore and objectively evaluate a reasonable range of alternatives during the Gold Line Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). As the range of alternatives was narrowed, they underwent multiple levels of increasingly detailed and quantitative analysis. The goal was to eliminate flawed or unsupported alternatives from consideration. At each level of technical analysis, the support of the public, local municipalities and regulatory agencies was also taken into account. This process allowed RTD to identify the Preferred Alternative that was included in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Summarized below are the various alternatives that were eliminated at each level of EIS screening.

Alternative Dismissed in Level 4 Screening

During the fourth level of screening, the team optimized both remaining alternatives to improve their performance and conducted even more detailed evaluations. The team established the number of stations for both of the two remaining alternatives and determined station-specific parking demand. Various footprints for station platforms and parking were also evaluated.

The third level of evaluation provided more detailed answers to many questions including ridership, environmental consequences, ways to avoid property impacts, feasibility of the implementation of the alternatives, and more detailed cost estimates.It also provided the first glimpse at other key evaluation criteria such as parking demand at preliminary station locations.

Level 2 Screening analyzed alternatives based on a number of preliminary quantitative criteria, including environmental impacts/benefits, community impacts/benefits, projected ridership and travel time. For a full list of criteria and the results for each alternative evaluated, click here. The following alternatives were eliminated at this phase:

Level 1 Screening, commonly called Fatal Flaw Screening was a primarily qualitative analysis of alternatives to determine if there are significant issues (e.g. cost, environmental impacts, not constructable).

Electric Commuter Rail Alternatives

Click here to view a map of all electric commuter rail alternatives consideredduring Level 1, including the one selected for further evaluation.